Coffee maker



Aug, 20, 1940.

c. D. KEATQN 2,212,100

COFFEE MAKER Filed March 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l CLYDE fl XEATON Aug. 19410- c. D. KEAT oN 2,212,1w

COFFEE MAKER Filed March 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W24 CLYDE fl/(EATON Patented Ace, IQO

STATE-still 2,212,:leo

COFFEE Ell,

Clydell. Keaton, New York, N. 32., assig'nor to Stanley S. Tumhridge, Englewood, N. .l.

Application March 22, 1938, Serial No. 197,349

19 Eloims. v (Cl. 219-44) The present invention relates to electrically heated vessels and more particularly to electric coffee makers of the vacuum type wherein there is provided on upper chamber and 2. lower chem be! and e tube interconnecting the chambers; the water to be heated being placed in the lower chamber and the eofiee in the upper chamber.

An object of the present invention is a coflec maker of the alcove-mentioned typ provided with lo means for automatically heating sold woier to a predetermined temperature to i'orce it from the lower container into the upper container and then to provide 21. time lag during which the heat is cut ml? and then to re-apply heat select to lo maintain the cofiee or contents of the vessel warm after it has returned to the lower vessel,

A lurther object is e. coilee maker wherein said heating means may he ore-adjusted and will lune tiou eutometicolly upon the connection of the 2o cofiee maker to the source of power.

A still further object is a. coflee maker where= in adjusting means may be incorporated to ccutrol the time which the heating elements ere in accretion and. thus control the time of egltetloo 25 to eree the cofiee grounds. r

' A still further object is o cofiee maker provided with lmlprovcd thermostatically controlled moons for mo and breaking the electric circuits; said moons permitting the use of the device co so either ll. Q. or D. Q. current.

A still lorther object is a cofiee mekee where in there; is provided thermostatically controlled means adopted to telu one htimg circuit in ogoerotion for e predetermined pev ctl of time so and then. intermittently open close ehothet" circuit so long es the device is electrically cou= mooted, and, upon Techie disconnected, to move into poeitlohlto egolu close the first circuit.

A still further object is 9. device wherein thete ill is provided e thermo=responsivc element adopted when moving in one direction to close one clrcult for at predetermined time and then open the clr cult, and. opera moving in the reverse direction close another circuit and to then intermittently open and close e second circuit so long as the device is electrically connected, cud, when dis connected, to continue its movement in the re verse direction into position to close the first clr= cult.

log vessel wherein the parts are extremely slm= ple to manufacture and assemble and econornlcel both in cost ofmanutecture and cost of opera 55 tion.

A still further object is a. coffee maker or heaii- Other objects will he in part obvious and in port pointed out more in detail hereiuatter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exempll- 5 fled in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indl-' ceted in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a, sectional view of one embodiment 10 of the invention; t

Fig. 2 is a. view on line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the thermostaticelly controlled switch;

Fig. 4 is a view of another embodlment'of-thc ll invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the type of thermostatically controlled switch utilized in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a, wiring diagram or the circuit shown in Figs. 1 and 2; end

Fig. 7 is a, wiring diagram of the circuit shown in Fig. 4.

Reirring to the drawings, land more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown an, electrically heated vessel in the form of a coffee pot or percolatoriohcving at lower vessel or chamber ll provided with on inner bottom H in. which there is centrally located a. well M. There is further provided an outer bottom i8 spaced :lrom bottom 52 to form a compartment in which the thermostatic control elements, hereinafter described, are located. The lower vessel l i is provided with a pouring spout i9 which may he closed to atmos phere by a valve Ll having e, suitable actuating handle thereon.

Fitting within vessel ll ie an upoer veseel or chamber to having o. tuloe l8 centrally located in the bottom thereof and extending: down and into the well it of vessel ll. The mouth of tubeit may he covered by any euitolole type cl strainer ll. in order to melee oh air-tight fit hetweeo vessel ll cool l3, there is provldeel e suitable cos lzct so. The foregoing: elements ore common to coflee pots and particularly those of the voc= cum type.

'lu occordeuce with the present invention, there is provided so thermostatic element 2 re== sponsive to the temperature of the weter end vessel; to heating element til ocleptcd to produce high or cooking beet; e heating element 2% r adopted to he placed in series therewith to in crease the resistance and to produce low or werm= lug heat; end an double acting thermostatic switch 28 adopted to control the heating elements in which in turn is secured to a nut 3! which is adjustable up and down on screw 32 upon actuation of a knob 32a rotatably mounted in bottom l6. Rotation of nut 3| is prevented by a tongue 3la secured to the wall of the pot and received within a groove in the nut 8|.

The arm 29 carries on one side a fixed contact 36 including an extending spring finger 35a, and on the other side is a fixed contact 31; the contacts being conveniently secured to the support.

The fixed contact 36 extends from the top edge of the arm to the bottom thereof, and the extension finger 36a. extends above arm 29, for

reasons hereinafter described. The finger 36a is preferably of resilient metal and curved inwardly toward the guide member 21. The contact 37 may or may not cover arm 29, and in the embodiment shown it extends but approximately half way down the arm, for reasons hereinafter explained.

Cooperating with the fixed contacts of am 29 is a sliding or movable contact 60 carried. at right angles to and insulated from an arm at and projects inwardly therefrom a distance less than the width of arm 29. The arm iii depends from the free end of a thermostatic responsive element 52; said element 32 having the other end secured to container bottom ii at $3. The element 82 is positioned that the center of contact id is slightly to the left of the vertical center of arm 29 when the element 62 is cold.

The electrical connections may best be seen from Fig. 6, and, as there indicated, contact 36 is electrically connected through the high heat element it to the usual plug receiving terminal 251, whereas contact 37 connects through both heating elements 28 and 22 to the same plug.

. The sliding contact :38 is connected directly to the other plug terminal 25. It will thus be seen that there are in effect two switches having a common closure and means for successively closing the switches through the common closure.

Considering the operation of the device shown in Figs. 1,2, 3, and 6, the lower chamber ii is partially filled with water and valve 2i closed. The upper chamber, with strainer ii in place, is then inserted in the lower chamber. The usual connecting plug is then inserted over terminals 26, 26. Generally, arm 29 is so adjusted through support 2? that the contact 35 through finger 36a engages contact 68 when the device is cold. normally maintaining the circuit through the high heating element 26. As' the heat from element 2@ begins to heat the water, element 512 will respond to the change of temperature and the free end thereof will move away from the bottom of the pot, lowering contact tt-while maintaining it in engagement with contact 138a. As contact tit is mounted on the free end of the theme-responsive element 62, it will move counterclockwise in the arc of a circle as the free end of the thermo= responsive element is lowered in response to the increased heat of the vessel. As the arm 29 and the fixed contacts thereon lie in the path of movement of the contact 46, the movement thereof will simultaneously cause arm 29 and its support 21 to flex in a clockwise direction relative to the supporting element 30, and due to the tendency of support 21 to return to its normally vertical position the contacts will yieldingly remain in engagement. 1

The travel of contact it will be relatively slow until the pressure in chamber il builds to a degree which will force the water up into chamber l3. The heat will now travel relatively faster from bottom [2 to element 42, causing rapid lowering of contact 40. The amount of travel required of contact 60 after the water rises will control the gurgling or agitation time of the water in the upper chamber. However, as long as heat is applied, the contact will continue to be lowered and will move past the arm 29, whereupon support 21 will straighten up and move arm 29 side thereof, instantaneously breaking the circuit through high heating element 20. The contact 40 will -now be positioned to the right of arm 29.

As the element cools, contact 5!! will rise and be carried in a reverse arc to its downward movement and again engage arm 29, but 'on the opposite side thereof. However, when used in conjunction with a vacuum cofiee maker, a time lag is desirable to assure breaking of the" vacuum in the lower vessel II, and it is for this reason that contact 31 extends but a short distance from the top of arm 29, thus delaying its being engaged by contact at. As contact it rises, it will flex arm 29 counterclockwise and after rlsingthe predetermined amount will engage contact 31 and close the circuit through the heating elements 20 and 22. Thecontact 50 will then float on and off of contact 31 as the heat rises and lowers, and due to the small area of contact 37 the circuit will make and break rapidly and the temperature will be maintained within a very close range. When the connecting plug is pulled and the device cools ofi, contact 40 will be carried above arm 29, which will fiex back to its normal position, and the parts will again be positioned as seen in Fig. 1. Thus it will be seen that contact lii is successively brought into engagement with the contacts on either side of arm 29 and the length of arm 29 may be proportioned to cause the thermo-responsive element to move through a predetermined distance during each successive engagement therewith.

Although it is preferred to have the switch 25 pre-adjusted before leaving the factory (in which instance the adjusting feature may be omitted), it is possible, through member 32a, to vary the length of time contact 18 engages contact 85. As very little adjustment is required to obtain various degrees of brew, it will be seen that when positioned as in Fig. 1 contacts it and 35 will be in engagement for a maximum period, whereside, the arm 29 will be positioned to prevent contact 40 from riding over same when the device cools, and it will be necessary'to lower arm 29 to low heat side and the intermittent action w the low heatlng element would he insolftlclent to new age the device. Because of this lecture, the Knee usually found in such devices may he ellmlne-teol.

with the foregoing constructlon, it ls else nossible to use the devlce with either A. C. or D. C current, for the contacts of the high heating coil are separated with such ranlcllty due to the snap action of the movable contact that no sparking results. As there is reletlvely little cur= rent through the low heating coll, no sparking will result between the lntermlttent make enlcl break ot the contacts on the low heatlngslde, When the coflee is made, the velve ll mey he opened and the coilee poured thecelroni, es with the usual type percoletor.

In the embodiment shown in l lgs. l end 5, there ls provided a support or eulde member cc rigidly secured to the adjustingnut ll. The member [Call may be rectoneuler in Slmpe enel provldell with. an opening to extending from the top edge and generelly ol the ellepe of an inverted l to form oppositely cllseocecl conceal contest arms el encl etc As in the previous em comment, there is providedfixed contests on the oppoelte sloles of arms lll end 52 conveniently supported on es; the contests ell 6t Icelng on cooking slele and contacts 59 and G6 on the wocmlng sllle of the respective ones. The con= tests are edepted to he spanned by to sliding contcct fill cntrled on out lnsnleted from reslllent ores $2 depending from the thermo te cgoonslve element til. The cont-cot ll t tle enough to engage arms El and T one whel'eee the supporting em 32 to l will??? eto pass through the opening 536 tleeeelcetw In the embodiment ct l' 'le. e only one lee element le meal, end, no cllegrenlnl tooled ln E le. 7, contacts to end G5) etc elect Heel ly connected to tetminel 2t; and Bl lit to tecmlnel l5 through the ne ine The operation elmllec to that of l t t switch members ere movable neletlve to one enothec. However, to e and ll, the melee member 55% lo fixed and the contact W to ceelllent. Tow, no em lowez'e-cl'loy the thernmo=cesconelve element 68, contmt will he restrained and men wlll tend to etrelehten out. Upon contact Ell travelling e prerletermlnell dlstcnce greater than the length ol arms cl end 82, arm cl will resume lte net-excl curvotore, lnctonteneoosly vloreolzlzztg the beefing clrc'lllt, end he eoeltloned on the oegeente side of the contest arms. As contest Gl lo cerrledlm= werclly, lt will ogeln cheese meme? contacts Be and W to agoln close the clrcnlt.

lnnsmllch es the thermwreseonslve element 68 will he lowered aceln es coon es t e tut-e reaches edeslred degree. contact ll coll again be lowered by element t3 and lntesmlttently make and loreak some. Thus, the cooking end warming may be done wlth but e single ell-cult 'by first maintaining same closed for a mrlcd o! tlme longenoushto cool: as the thermo-re= sponslve element moves in one direction, one

1 then causing the circuit to be lntermlttently drawlnes shell be interpreted es lllnet .selcl lower one meet in one cllrectlon is repeatedly arrested. As element to rleci; and contact 6| engages contacts Ell o the arm 62 will be given a greater degree of curvature, and when the device cools and conte t @l above arms 5! and 52, it will resume lte normal starting position.

The second embodiment may regulated in lllzze manner to the first, end like manner to the first, looth high and low sides are adjnstecl simultaneously, thus melotelnlng a conslant tempereture leg therehetween.

As meny chenges coulcl he 1 the above construction and mom; a one my widely di1 tel-lent embodlments of this "on could be mode wlthontdepartlng from the lt ls lntended that all wetter co elzove description or shown in the not in e, limiting sense.

It is also to he understood thet the language used lo the following clelxns ls intended to cover all cl the geneclo end specific lectures ol' the lie ventlon herein described and all statements of the scope of'the invention wlnch, as c matter of might he sold to fell thereloetween.

I claim as my invention:-

l. A coflee maker comprising e, lower chamber end on upper chamber, at tulce connecting said chambers, e, heating cll'cult sposecl adjacent selol lower chamber, swi ch n s fee sole heatlns; clrcnlt, and e flat them pensive element normally pcsltloned to-lce r "pensive to cedlent meet from cold lower she and leaving one encl filled to seld lower cl'le liter and its other end end eclepteol upon movem nt in one direction to maintain sell-l cllclllt for c, predetermined period of time then open said c *cult, end to again close circuit alter a pteoietemelned movement to he other direction.

2. A. collee nee-Ker compne lower chamber and en noses chamber connectlnlg eeld cl embers, a, heetlng clccn t ed alle e lent lessee heen cl h l-m l no notion-Elly ll'ont.

gcesltlonecl to he ego-en sold clrcnlt and upon upper el'lemlcw, e chambers, e lac-acting circui emecent lower chonllcec e give lllcln heat, at second heotlng circuit ee lower chemloex' end adopts-cl to elve low cwltch for sold elccnlts normally cold heetlne clrcnlt, end thecmo seeeonslve moons controlling a dented to open cold llleh clrcnlt gozeoletemllned movement no one cllrectlon close colll loci clccult otter e predetemtlne e cevecee cllnectlon. v

3. ll collee cooker cone; e lot-vet clemnller one on nope? climber, c tune connecting celcl chmcere, o heetlng clrenlt lllsncsell moment selcl lower chamber and to elve high heel, e second leeotlnc clrcult disposed adjacent said lower chomhec end oclepted to Lelve low heet, swatch meensfor sold circuits, thermoresponsive means selected to com sold high heating circuit upon a, predetermined movement in one direction end to close seld low heating circult upon a prdetermlned movement in a reverse direction, and tohzaln open said low heating circlosed as the return movement ol the element cuit and close said high heating circuit upon a further movement in the reverse direction.

.5. A cofiee maker comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber, a tube connecting said chambers, a heating circuit disposed adjacent said lower chamber, a fixed contact for said circuit and a movable contact, an arm of predetermined length supporting said fixed contact, a thermo-responsive element supporting said movable contact, said element having a greater movement than the length of said supporting arm, whereby upon movement of said element said heating circuit will be maintained closed for a predetermined period of time and then opened.

6. A coffee-maker comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber, a tubeconnecting said chambers, a heating circuit disposed adjacent said lower chamber, a pair of fixed contacts for said circuit and a movable contact, an arm supporting said. fixedcontacts in spaced relation, said arm being of a predetermined length, a thermo-responsive element supporting said movable contact and adapted to move same a greater distance than the length of said contact sup porting arm, whereby said circuit will be maintained closed for a predetermined period of time and then opened, and means for moving said arm to the other side of said movable contact whereby said circuit will be again closed when said movable contact is carried in a reverse direction.

7. A cofiee maker comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber, a tube connecting said chambers, a heating circuit disposed adjacent said lower chamber, a thermo-responsive element having one end fixed to said lower chamber and its other end free to move in the arc of a circle, a contact carried on the free end of said thermoresponsive element, an arm disposed in the path of travel of said movable contact, a fixed contact co-extensive with one side of said arm, a second fixed contact on the other side of said arm and extending only partially along same, and a flexible member supporting said arm and adapted to be flexed out of position as said movable contact engages said fixed contact and to return to unflexed position the other side of said movable contact when said movable contact has moved across said arm, whereby said contact will engage the second arm contact when moved in the opposite direction. i

8. A cofiee maker comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber, a tube connecting said chambers, a heating circuit disposed adjacent said lower chamber, a thermo-responsive element having one end fixed to said lower chamber and its other end free to move in the arc of a circle in one direction when heated and in a reverse direction when cooled, a contact carried on the free end of said element, an arm disposed in the path of said movable contact, contacts carried on both sides of said arm, said movable contact engaging one of said contacts as the element moves downwardly, means for flexing said arm to the other side of said movable contact when it has moved a predetermined distance, whereby said movable contact will engage the second arm contact as it makes a reverse movement.

9. A coffee maker comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber, a tube connecting said chambers, a heating circuit disposed adjacent said lower chamber and adapted to produce high heat, a second heating circuit disposed below said cham-- her and adapted to produce low heat, a thermoresponsive element having one end fixed to said lower chamber and its other end free to move in the arc of a circle in response to the heat produced, a contact carried on the free end of said element, an arm lying in the path of said contact, a contact on one side of said arm adapted to close said high heating circuit when engaged by said movable contact, a contact on the other side of said arm adapted to close said low circuit when engaged by said movable contact, and means flexibly supporting said arm, whereby said contacts will be successively brought in contact with said movable contact as it moves in opposite directions.

10. A coffee maker comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber, a tube connecting said chambers, a heating circuit adjacent said lower chamber andadapted to give high heat, a second heating circuit disposed adjacent said lower chamber and adapted to give low heat, a thermoresponsive element having one end fixed to said lower chamber and its other end free to move in the arc of a circle, a contact resiliently carried on the free end of said element, an arm disposed in the path of travel of said movable contact, a contact on one side of said arm adapted to close said high heating circuit when engaged by said movable contact as it moves in one direction, and a second contact carried on the other side of said arm and adapted to close said low heating circuit when engaged by said movable contact as it moves in areverse direction.

11. In an electrically heated vessel, a heating circuit, a thermo-responsive element having a fixed end and a free end, a contact movably carried by said free end, a second contact lying in the path of said movable contact and adapted to.

be engaged by same to close the heating circuit, and means for throwing said movable contact to the other side of the second contact when it has moved across same to open the circuit.

12. In an. electrically heated vessel, a heating circuit, a thermo-responsive element adapted to move in one direction upon application of heat and in reverse direction upon cooling, a contact carried by said element and movable therewith, a second contact lying in the path of said fixed contact and adapted to engage same to close the circuit, said movable contact sliding across said second contact in response to movement in one direction of the thermo-responsive element, and means for throwing said movable contact to the other side of said second contact to open the circuit after it has moved across same.

13. In an electrically heated vessel, a heating circuit, a thermo-responsive element adapted to move in one direction upon application of heat and in reverse direction upon cooling, a contact carried by said element, and movable therewith,

a second contact lying in the path of said first contact and adapted to engage same to close the heating circuit, said movable contact sliding carried by said element and movable therewith,

a second contact lying in the path of said first contact and adapted to engage same to close the heating circuit, said movable contact sliding by said movable contact as the thermo-responsive element moves in the reverse direction.

15. In an electrically heated vessel, a heating circuit, a pair of contacts fixed to a common flexible support, a movable contact, and thermo-r e' sponsive means for successively bringing said movable contact into engagement with the fixed contacts to control said heating circuit.

16. In an electrically heated vessel, a heating circuit, a thermo-responsive element carrying a movable contact at its free end and having its other end fixed to the vessel, whereby its free end will move in the arc oi a circle, a pair of contacts adapted to be engaged by. said movable contact, a flexible member supporting said contacts and adapted to be flexed out of position when" said contacts are engaged and to return to unflexed position when said element has moved the movable contact a predetermined distance.

17. In an electrically heated device, a'heating circuit, a theme-responsive element having a fixed end and a free end, a contact carried by said free end, a second contact lying in the path or said first contact and adapted to be engaged by same to close the heating circuit, and means for throwing said first'contact to the other side of said contact when it has moved across same to open the circuit.

18. In a coffee maker, a heating circuit disposed adjacent the bottom thereof and adapted to give high heat, a second heating circuit adjacent the bottom thereof and adapted to give low heat, switch-means for said circuits normally closing said high heating circuit, and thermo-responsive means controlling said switch means and adapted to open said switch and high heating circuit after a predetermined movement in one direction and to close-said switch and said low heating circuit after a predetermined movement in a reverse direction.

19. In a'coifee maker, a heating circuit disposed adjacent the bottom thereof ,a thermo-responsive element having a fixed end and a free end adapted to move in the arc of a circle in one direction when heated and in a reverse direction when cooled and positioned to receive radiant heat from said cofiee maker, a contact carried on the free end of said movable contact, an arm disposed in the path of said movable contact, contacts carried on said arm, said movable contact engaging one of said contacts as the element moves downwardly, and means for disengaging said contacts when said first contact has moved a predetermined distance downwardly, whereby said movable contact will engage the second arm contact as it makes a reverse movement.

CLYDE D. KEATON.

DISCLAIMER 2,212,100.0lyde D. Keaton, New York, N Y. COFFEE MAKER. Patent dated August 20,1940. Disclaimer filed February 17, 1941, by the assignee, Stanley S. Tumbridge. He'reb enters this disclaimer t9 claim 2 in said specification.

[ Gazette March 11, 1941.]

DISCLAIMER 2,212,100.Olyde D. Keaton, New York, N. Y. C FFEE MAKER. Patent dated August 20, 1940. Disclaimer filed May 19,1942, by the assignee, Stanley S. Tumbridge. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 1 in said specification.

[Oflicial Gazette June 16, 1942.] 

